June...ing

Lots more happening this month and it is all because we have had some much improved summer weather. May was just sew, sew, sew which is fab because I love my job but it makes for a dull blog post. So June, what have you brought us this year...

Picking - strawberries every night. We have a tally running and so far we have picked 7kg!! They are much bigger than last year due to the rainy month of May and the fact that I purchased a fruit cage to protect them.

Spotting - a cheeky squirrel with a whole strawberry in his mouth running away to enjoy it. It was one of the ones that had grown out under the frame.

Baking - banana bread, chocolate brownies, eclairs and Wimbledon cake; all eaten with strawberries.

Drinking - Homemade elderflower cordial. I love this stuff and think I might be able to get a second picking.

Listening - to my rhubarb and strawberry wine blipping away in the corner of the lounge.

Replacing - my broken ice cream maker. The paddle snapped and the motor burnt out so I got another one in the Lakeland sale. This is a batch of blueberry and, you guessed it, strawberry ripple. 

Arranging - flowers at church for my neighbour's daughters wedding. It is definitely a missed vocation for me. I last flower arranged for my own wedding about 4 years ago but I just seem to be able to pull it out of the bag - don't know how?? I was asked to help them, then asked to do two milk churns, I had a crisis of confidence and then whipped these up. Who knows? divine intervention perhaps.

I also did an arrangement on the font, one in an outdoor font and one on the bonnet of our vintage tractor too. I really enjoyed myself. 

Partying - until 2am at the wedding. Such a shame it was a freak rainy day on Saturday for a marquee wedding but everyone had a good time. Our girls loved staying up the latest they had ever stayed up too.

Knocking - up a pop-up wedding card.

Gifting - a new me-made handbag to my mum. She likes it and says it is a good size. I enjoyed making it too. The inside has the last of my Liberty cotton lawn as a lining.

Visiting - Croft Castle National Trust. My teen girls don't mind a walk around a garden as long as it is not too strung out and there is the promise of cake at the end.

Loving - watching Heidi continue to read and not always spend her time on her phone. Joyous.

Trying - to work from home outside! I think I should just be grateful for being able to work at home. It doesn't really work for proof watching videos or editing but it was worth a try. 

Buying - a new Indian parasol. It is fabric but needs looking after however, it is the most beautiful thing.

Acquiring - a guinea fowl. It is not ours. It just rocked up one day. I had to get rid of our cockerel. It was playing havoc with my working from home set up but now we have a rogue guinea fowl in the field! They are often used in pheasant pens to act as a guard for when foxes come because they make such a racket but this one has been very loyal by looking after our chickens so I have been throwing it grain. It roosts in a tree at night.

Sewing - McCalls 7322. I have sewn up every view for Minerva. I made this one to fit me, two to fit friends and another for Heidi. They are launching their own brand new exclusive fabrics. The viscose ones are a wonderful array of colours and prints and the jersey farbic on me isn't even out yet!

 

Hosting - my aunt and uncle for a week. They are the best house guests and we always look forward to them arriving, sharing great cooking and the girls love that they get spoilt. It was a lovely Jubilee week. We had a beacon bonfire in the field and drinks with our neighbours on our lawn.

Happy June. Hope June was fruitful for you. See you soon. Jo xxxx